Labour officially gives up on winning Carshalton & Wallington

The Labour Party has announced it will not seriously contest Carshalton & Wallington at the next election.

According to recent communication to its members, the Labour Party has called the constituency a “non battleground seat” as they begin to select their non-priority election candidates.

At the last General Election, the Liberal Democrats finished second place to the Conservatives in Carshalton & Wallington - with just 629 votes separating the two parties.

Labour have never won Carshalton & Wallington, while the Liberal Democrats held the seat from 1997 to 2019.

Bobby Dean, the Liberal Democrat candidate for Carshalton & Wallington, explained that the announcement proved Labour know they can't win here. 

“This year’s General Election will be another close, two-horse race between the Lib Dems and the Conservatives. With just 629 votes in it here, every vote will count.

“That’s why I am grateful to Labour supporters who have said they will vote for me to help beat the Conservatives.

“With our local health services at breaking point, the River Wandle being destroyed by sewage and so many families struggling to make ends meet, it's time for change. 

“The Conservatives are so out of touch with our community. It is time we have an MP who is on your side and who can deliver the change we so desperately need in Carshalton & Wallington.”

Full list of Labour ‘non battleground constituencies’: https://labour.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Remaining-seats-to-be-selected.pdf